An Accent in Kashmir

Cliches can be awful but one can apply every cliché in the book and utterly fail to describe the beauty of Kashmir. Like the adjective loaded cries of an inventive boatman peddling his shawls in a colourful Shikara on the Dal Lake, it is beautiful, magnificent, stupenduous, marvelous, amazing, magical, wondorous, fantastic, fabulous, awesome, incredible and ecstatic. Words just fail to describe the beauty and variety of Kashmir.

The fabled vale of Kashmir is a plateau 5300 feet high with huge lakes ringed by tall mountains. It is roughly 130 kms long and about 60 kms wide with gently sloping fields of ripening paddy interspersed with tall willow and poplar trees and ablaze with the flowers of the season. Cool clear streams gurgle through every field. Nature seems to be smiling, the birds and even the fish look happy and there is a sense of peace and joy. There is an amazing clarity of light and a feel of limpid water everywhere.

This serene beauty is in sad contrast with the stark reality of violence and sorrow that too has been part of Kashmir's long history. The gentle inhabitants have suffered for generations from the depredations of tyrannical and rapacious rulers from the Sakas, Huns, Afghans, Mughals and Sikhs with few periods of real peace. The people had originally been Buddhist and the Kushana king Kanishka had held the Great Council of Divines in the 1st century AD. In the 5th century the ’white Hun' king Mihirakula, a recent convert to Hinduism, brutally persecuted Buddhists. It has been recorded that he seldom smiled and that his approach was signaled…"by flocks of vultures, crows and other birds that were flying ahead eager to feed on those who were soon to be slain."

The word Kashmir is reportedly derived from Kasyapa Mar based on the legend that the sage Kasyapa had killed an evil demon that had been haunting the valley. Kashyapa must have been a very active sage because his name is also associated with the Caspian Sea. In Homers time that huge Inland Sea had been called the Vrathian Sea (after the tribe of the Virks. It had also been called the Sea of Gilan after the tribe of the Gills). The name was later changed to Caspian after a sage called Caspili… or Kashyapa pronounced with a Caucasian accent.

Despite a grenade that exploded harmlessly just as we walked out of Shalimar Bagh on our first day, everything seemed very happy and peaceful during the five enjoyable days we spent driving 700 kms through Kashmir at the end of July. We had chosen Kashmir for a long test drive because it is one of the few places in India where the monsoon is not too disruptive. Thousands of noisy school children thronged Gulmarg on the Saturday and on the Sunday there was a traffic jam of happy revelers on the boulevard circling the huge Dal Lake. The houseboats had quite a good season after many empty years though there were few foreign visitors. Though there were many road blocks with police and soldiers peering myopically into the cars, we felt no sense of insecurity.

Most people seemed to believe in the cease-fire announced by Hizbul Mujahadeen, the major militant group, although they expected some further fireworks from several other rogue groups who continue to declare that their Jehad is not over. The dastardly attack on several Amarnath yatris might have been provoked by the many Sumos quite unnecessarily waving saffron flags as they raced all over the valley. Aggressive flags, loudspeakers and processions of all religions should be curbed. Every Kashmiri is remarkably intelligent and well informed and the locals claim that the militants were mostly foreign mercenaries from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sudan and that few Kashmiris had the temperament to fight or to kill.

Driving a Hyundai Accent on the sweeping 14-km long boulevard was a pleasurable experience as was our longer drive to Verinag, the source of the Jhelum River. This is one of the world's largest natural springs that gushes out of the mountain not far from the Banihal pass. The Mughals made a beautiful garden at the site with a huge octagonal pool of intensely cold blue water to mark the spot.

On the way we also visited the magnificent 7th century sun temples at Avanitpur and Martand built by the enlightened king Lalityaditya in an unmistakably Greek style with tall colonnades of hard black rock. These tall structures, including the carved idols, have been eroded in a strange way as if subjected to intense heat. Eric Von Daniken, the author of ’Was God an Astronaut', believes that it might have once been the launching pad of an ancient space ship.

The Shankaracharya rock temple crowns a hill a thousand feet above Srinagar and gives a commanding view over the entire valley. The huge Dal Lake lies shimmering below with Hariparbat crowned by Akbar's fort on the other side with tall mountains on the horizon. There had originally been a Buddhist temple at the site but it was supplanted by a Hindu temple by Shankaracharya who had also converted Buddhist temples at Badrinath and other places. When Muslim kings ruled the valley it had been named Takht-eh- Suliman or the seat of Solomon but Hindu temples of Kashmir were not destroyed.

The first city in Kashmir may have been at Pampore, about 9 kms south of Srinagar where there are Ashkoan pillars and inscriptions. It is an area where the world's best saffron grows. In April the crocus flowers that yield the fragrant crop are a blaze of colour. In July its main crop seemed to be cricket bats made of the willows abundant in the area that were being offered to passing tourists.

Around Srinagar there are many beautiful Mughal gardens built around natural springs like Chashma Shahi and Nishat built by Shah Jehan who loved Kashmir. It is hard to imagine undertaking a three-month journey in those days from Delhi on horseback but it was perhaps a welcome escape from the horrid heat of the Indian plains. A little further West is the garden of Harwan meaning the forest of God. It has a beautiful small lake fed by a stream that flows through the long Dachigam valley. We were fortunate to get permission to visit the National Park at Dachigam famous for Hungal, the rare red stags even though they are seldom seen. There is one of several Government trout farms here that produces over 10 tonnes of trout for sale every year. It also supplies fingerlings to stock the many streams for excellent fly-fishing. Anglers can get fishing permits and hire fishing rods easily.

On the West of Hariparbat is the little tomb of Rozabal, where many believe Christ is buried. Inside is a huge tombstone about 10 feet long and two huge footprints of a man whose feet must have been about 16 inches long. So he was either a giant or became a giant in the minds of his devotees. Many believe that Kashmir had been the home of the lost tribes of Jerusalem and that Jesus (Christ was a title meaning anointed) had spent some of his years there while wandering in the wilderness. As it was Buddhist at that time, it perhaps explains why he introduced the Buddhist concept of compassion and love that had been alien to the Jewish faith that he made it his mission to reform.

While the picturesque big mosque of Hazrat Bal, that sits like a huge stone pearl on the South of Dal Lake is the most famous, the green wooden mosque of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani is perhaps the most important. Hamadani first introduced Islam to the valley in the 14th century with a gentle and loving Sufi interpretation of Islam. He authored a condensed version of the Koran and allowed prayers to be conducted in Kashmiri even if these were in opposition to Sunni orthodoxy. Few people realise that many more people throughout India embraced Islam through spiritual Sufism than by the savage swords of Muslim conquerors.

We also motored south of the Dal and Nagin lakes to the smaller Mansabal Lake that is 40 km from Srinagar. It is especially pretty with steep hills descending towards its depths. During July the lakes were ablaze with huge pink lotus as far as the eye could see. There were tourist huts to stay but the militants had destroyed them. Few people go there and the Mughal garden had a big field of huge pink lotus in bloom.

We then spent an enjoyable day at Gulmarg that used to have the world's highest golf course at 8500 feet. Gulmarg means a meadow of flowers. The now disused golf course used to be mowed by nature's four legged lawn mowers, the local sheep. There were thousands of schoolchildren running in the meadows or climbing the thickly forested hills. The gondola ropeway was working overtime lifting tourists to Killanmarg a thousand feet higher. We chose to go there on 1-hp local ponies. On a clear day the massiff of Nanga Parbat, soaring to over 28.000 feet, can be seen in the distance.

The white Accent handled the good and occasionally bad roads with excellent ride and handling that ironed out the bumps and potholes with ease. It was a pleasure driving a good car through such a picturesque countryside with tall poplar and willow trees lining the roads and clear gurgling streams flowing in every direction. Kashmir is a delight for the senses with gentle terraces of ripening paddy interspersed with trees heavy with apples and the colourful flowers of the season. The scenery changes with the seasons and is especially beautiful in late September when the leaves of the tall Chinars and other trees turn red and gold.

On the climb to Gulmarg the quiet 94-bhp engine delivered good acceleration and power. On the plains, however, it kept its horses well hidden and it was seldom necessary to reach the revs that make a car feel peppy and powerful. It's cornering and suspension and braking was excellent but the clearance was not adequate for the many tall speed breakers. Hyundai has now retuned the suspension to remedy this fault. Our fuel consumption despite considerable driving in low gears and A.C. was a very acceptable 10.7 kmpl.

The smiling grille and graceful though chunky lines were attractive and the quality of the interiors was good though, the rather unrelieved Grey, was unexciting. The air-conditioning, with light touch rotary controls, was excellent in the surprising midday heat. The music system had big speakers and there were most imaginative cup holders that slid out below the centre console. The clear headlights gave brilliant illumination at night without blinding oncoming traffic. The illumination of the black instrument panel was also excellent.

The Accent is actually a bigger car than the five excellent competitors in its price range. The Ikon and Esteem may be slightly quicker, the Esteem and Siena may be a trifle cheaper, the Cielo may have a bit more internal space and the Corsa may have an edge in interiors and suspension softness but it's inner space and overall value accounts for the Accent's remarkable success.

We spent our last day in a lovely houseboat on the Nagin Lake called Maharaja Palace watching the play of light, clouds and Shikaras on the lake. It is amazing how well the interiors were preserved. The Oberoi and Broadway are the only luxury hotels in Srinagar as most of the international chains have felt it unwise to venture into the troubled valley. There are many other hotels but houseboats are the places to stay in. They mostly have septic tanks so the lake is not as spoiled as in earlier years. We found that the kitchens and bathrooms were clean. They have well appointed drawing and dining rooms and two to three big bedrooms. The natural hospitality of their owners ensures that the food is usually well cooked to order in a small houseboat or hut behind the main boat. They usually have good cooks who can produce excellent Kashmiri, good North Indian and rather boring British style food.

Houseboats had been necessary in the old days when the Maharaja had forbidden foreigners to acquire land. They are all made of Deodar. There are about 95 big three bedroom, 120 foot long and 14 foot wide super deluxe houseboats out of the 1300 houseboats on the lake. The original houseboats were smaller 48 foot long ones that could be poled from lake to lake. The official rate is Rs. 1600 a night for double occupancy including all meals but can be had at half the price or even less. One feels a prince staying in one with a beautiful view from the balcony and the soothing sound of water lapping at the sides. How we wished we could have stayed longer.

While driving on the Boulevard we were surprised to be overtaken by a fast silver Accent chauffeured by none other than Farooq Abdullah the Chief Minister himself. How one hopes a political solution will be found to solve the knotted problem otherwise the tragic tale of guns and roses will sadly continue.